Sudan orders probe into airstrikes that killed miners near Egyptian border

October 12, 2026 (KHARTOUM) – Sudan’s military leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on Monday ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate airstrikes that killed dozens of Sudanese gold miners near the border with Egypt.

Warplanes launched heavy strikes on Saturday targeting gold prospecting sites in the Shamal al-Wadi area in the far north of Red Sea State, in the second such incident in three months.

The strikes sparked outrage on social media and drew condemnation from political factions, armed groups, and human rights organizations, with some accusing Egypt of carrying out the attack against the miners.

The Sovereign Council’s media office said in a statement that Burhan had ordered the creation of a committee comprising representatives from the public prosecution, judiciary, and security bodies to probe the incident and submit a report on its findings.

The statement said the state bore a fundamental responsibility to protect the lives, safety, and dignity of Sudanese citizens, adding that the incident must be addressed seriously to uncover the facts and respect borders.

It added that leadership in both Sudan and Egypt remained in contact immediately following the incident to ensure the protection of lives, maintain bilateral relations, and make the findings public.

Burhan had announced in June that the government intended to investigate a similar attack on Sudanese miners in the same area, though the findings of that inquiry were never made public.